Improvement in sheet-metal coffins



{UNI ED STATES PATENT WILLIAM s. WOOD, on "NEW YORK, N. Y.-,'rrssIe.N0RTo WILLIAM M. RAYMOND -& 00., OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHEET-METAL COFFINS.

Specification forming part of Letters PatontNo. 134,182, dated December2-1, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. W001), of New York city, have invented anImprovement in Sheet-Metal Ooflins, of which the folmost durable methodof strengthening as well as ornamenting them. Heretofore these partshave been paneled or embossed in separate pieces, and then united, bybrazing, riveting, or otherwise, to form the body of the coffin,involving greater delay in construction, and

presenting a greater number of joints, thus weakening the structure, andalso increasing the difficulty and expense of rendering it airtight. I

Not only does 'my improved method of constructing the body of asheet-metal coffin diminish the number of joints, thusv rendering thestructure more nearly air tight and giving increased strength with thesame weight of metal, but it affords increased facilities for embossingthe parts, thus materially lessening the cost of the structure, as Ipropose to' emboss the single sheet of metal used at one impression in apair of dies constructed for that purpose.

As a first step in the construction of a coffin in accordance with myinvention, I cut,

from a single sheet, a skeleton form, of such shape as would be obtainedwere the sides and ends of a coffin turned outward to aplane with thebottom thereof.

Figure" 1 represents such a form, with one style of embossing; and Fig.2 shows the 7 body of a cofiin completed, which consists of port to thesides; and the panels I.

Instead of turning upward the outer edge of the horizontal flange on thebody of the coflin as a mode of concealing the metallic rim D, it isplain that the edge of the corresponding flange upon the cover of thecoffin may be turned downward.

The main function of the rim D is to give the rigidity to the structure,and at the same time to furnish the necessary support to the screws usedto connect the cover with the body of the coflin. flanges as described,and placing the rim between them, this end is secured without exposingthe rim to view and thereby marring. the external appearance of thecasket, as will be the case when the strengthening device is placedunderneath the flange formed on the upper edge of the body. The cementused for making the joint between the cover and the body of the casketair-tight will, of course, be disposed upon and around the rim D.

The second step in my invention is to suitably emboss these parts, asabove described; after which they are ready to be formed into the bodyof the cofiin by turning them up,

as indicated by the dotted lines a. This is most conveniently effectedby means of a form-block, over which the coffin is shaped. Thecorner-irons F, curved or angular, as the shape of the coffin maydemand, are then fitted in the corners as a means of strengthening thejoints and rendering them air-tight by brazing the sides andv endsfirmly thereto. The handle plates G, to which the handles are secured bybolts, rivets, or their equivalents, are placed on the interior of thesides to distribute the strain on the handle over a larger surface ofthe sides, and there by strengthen them.

The L-shaped ribs H, two or more in number, as may be required, aresecured on the interior to the sides and bottom, to prevent bulging whena heavy body is supported with- 1n.

From the above description of the essential features of my invention itis evident that various modifications inform and in detail ofconstruction may be devised. Hence I do not limit myself to anyparticular modification of either; but- By constructing the two Iclaim-- turned edge of this flange, or by its equiva- 1. A sheet-metalcoffin, the sides, ends, and lent, a depending flange formed on thecover. bottom of which are composed of a single sheet 3. The handleplates on the interior of a of metal. sheet-metal OOffiD, substantiallyas described. 2-. The combination of the metallic rim D -WILLIAM S.WOOD.

with the flange formed on the upper edge of Witnesses:

the body of the coffin, the rim itself being con-' SAML. A. DUNCAN,

cealed, substantially as described, by the up P. M. SHUEY.

